An Altered Destiny
by Tishbing
Summary: Kirk's third year at the academy. Following an accusation of cheating on her test, the planet vulcan comes under attack. Kirk may lose a lot more than her spot at the academy. This is third in my "Don't I know you?" Vers femkirk/mccoy AU
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is in the same 'verse as "Don't I know you?" Kirk and McCoy are in an established relationship, they have a three year old child Ella together. Also, this will be freakishly close to the movie. I'm not going to focus too close to it because it's been done many times. I am changing certain things around though so I hope you like it! Please don't expect updates very frequently because things do get a bit hectic for me sometimes so I do apologize in advance. Thank you for reading and please review. :) **

Chapter One

"Dammit, Jim! This obsession is not healthy! Taking the test a third time is downright stupid."

Jim ignored McCoy as she finalized her strategy. It was the night before her third attempt at the kobayashi maru. The quarters they were in were silent apart from McCoy's rantings. Gaila had been unofficially adopted by Jim's impromptu guardian Cathy Jameson and had taken Ella with her to give the two of them a break. Cathy had noticed the strain between Jim and McCoy and had offered to take Ella to give them some time alone.

Unfortunately, Ella's absence had done the opposite and had made it to where Jim had started to focus solely on winning the simulation. Gaila and Kirk had been busy. Before the elderly woman had whisked away her orion friend, the two of them had planted a subroutine over two months ago that affected the programming of the kobayashi maru simulation. It wasn't cheating per se but it gave every student since then a chance, not just her. It wouldn't kick in until a certain amount of objectives were met. So far, it hadn't kicked in for any other student.

Sending Gaila away had been for her own protection so if the subroutine had been discovered then Jim would take the fall if things went south. Gaila was slated for the USS Farragut in a month's time and had already completed all of her school credits so a small vacation wasn't totally unexpected.

Even though the odds were still stacked against her, Kirk was determined. She was re-reading her tactical plans when her PADD was snatched from her hands. "Hey!"

Jumping up and reaching for the document, she glared as McCoy held it out of reach. "It's time for bed, Jim."

"I'm not done." She lunged again and cursed herself for being so short when the document remained out of reach in McCoy's hands. Crossing her arms she openly glared at him and he sighed, handing it back to her.

"Why is this so important?" He groaned.

"Doesn't it bother you?" She held the PADD tightly at her side and tilted her head.

"Doesn't what bother me?"

Jim let out a frustrated huff. "That no one's ever passed the test. It's discouraging. It's like they want you to give up before you even try."

"It's just a test!"

Jim's hands clenched and her eyes flashed in annoyance. "It is _not_ just a test. It's a lesson that teaches cadets that when the going gets tough, accept it and give up and I will be damned if I do that. There is always another way. I just can't believe in a no-win scenario." Jim's shoulders shook and McCoy's dark brown eyes were watching her with an intensity that she knew he was trying to understand her obsession but failing.

McCoy moved closer and put a hand on her shoulder, gently steering her to the couch. "If it's that important to you I'll support you but I need to know why."

She looked down at her hands, unable to keep Bones' gaze. It was too knowing and he was too smart for her bullshit so she resorted to the truth. "It's because of hope. People have to have hope even in an hopeless situation. That you can never give up no matter what. I've seen what happens when people lose hope. Tarsus was a no-win situation and if I'd have just given in and accepted it like how this test is encouraging then not only would I be dead but so would so many others. It's not about winning some stupid test, it's about giving people the hope that you can sometimes win against unbeatable odds."

Her eyes burned with unshed tears at the memory. She had been so scared and it had been one of the worst experiences of her life but it had taught her, more than anything, that you could never give up.

Warm arms wrapped around her and Jim relaxed into them, the smell of sandalwood mixed with antiseptic was a strange but comforting scent. It was home.

Warm lips descended on her neck while large hands moved lower, gently running fingertips on her hips and waist where her shirt had ridden up. Jim shuddered and leaned into his touch, tilting her head back as he pressed open mouth kisses up her neck, behind her ear and moved closer.

"I understand, Jim but let's got to bed." He pulled her closer, as if he could erase the pain of her past and ease her worries about the future with his gentle caresses and kisses and she melted into his touch, allowing him to pull her into the bedroom, PADD and tactics forgotten in McCoy's arms.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"You're lucky I get extra credit for this. This third attempt is stupid and childish, Kirk." Uhura hissed at Jim as she took her seat. McCoy looked at Jim from his position at environmental and pursed his lips in disapproval at the whole thing. He didn't like it but he supported Jim even when she was being stupid.

A last minute switch up had a young Russian navigator she'd never worked with before and Susan Jorski, her co-pilot from her red-squad flight team at the helm. Jim's hands shook with nervousness as the lights dimmed and the sim began.

"We're receiving a distress call from the _USS Kobiyashi Maru_. They've lost power and are stranded in the neutral zone. Starfleet has sent orders that we are to rescue them." Uhura didn't even bother to hide her irritation at being dragged into this sim for a third time. Jim grit her teeth.

"We have orders to rescue them, captain." She snapped.

Uhura grimaced at the tone but didn't reply.

"Helm, set course for the last location of the _Kobiyashi Maru _and engage, warp one."

Both helm and navigation acknowledged and Kirk straightened in her seat. She knew what was going to happen.

"Crossing the border now, Keptin."

They had maybe a minute to see the damaged ship before all hell broke loose.

"Keptin, three Klingon birds of prey off our port bow. They're powering up weapons!"

"Shields up! Red alert. Uhura, send them our message of peace, that this is a rescue mission." The comms officer nodded.

"They're firing." The sim room shook slightly and Kirk turned to the helm.

"Put us in between the klingons and the Maru, return fire!"

"Shields at 80%."

Time to start her plan. "Chekov, plot a course that will put us within tractor range of the ship on the left. Warp two for one second should do it. Helm, get ready. Then put a tractor beam on that Klingon and use the momentum to pull and force that ship to remain in between us."

Jorski looked at her like she was crazy. "It'll look like there's two ships for a split second, they won't know where to fire and the torsional stress with the tractor beam will rip the other ship apart and give us a hostage while we fire on the remaining two."

Chekov looked excited while Jorski looked nervous. "Engage!"

It went to plan. The two ships on the right moved in to attack but only hit dead space. Two consoles at the science station sparked and fizzled at the sudden power fluctuation while they latched onto the Klingon ship and swung around.

"Fire full spread of torpedoes and full forward phasers." Kirk snapped.

The two ships didn't even have a chance to turn around before they were destroyed. Kirk knew the one they were latched to couldn't fire, they were too close together.

"Tractor beam failing. The Klingon ship is breaking apart!" McCoy looked up from his console in surprise.

"One more pull should do it the back us off."

Kirk watched as the neck of the warbird snapped, setting off a chain reaction and the ship exploded.

"_Bohze moi!_" Chekov whispered.

Her bridge was silent but Jim knew it wasn't over. That was too easy.

"Uh...should I lower shields to beam survivors aboard?" Mccoy asked hesitantly. Jim jerked her head.

"Scan for more ships."

Uhura stood. "I'm not detecting-"

"_Three more birds of prey, coming up fast!_" The Andorian from the science console shouted and Kirk braced herself and hit the button to call engineering.

"Engineering, can we vent plasma from the nacelles? I also want our running lights out. Make us look injured, _now_!"

"Playing possum? Plasma's a dangerous thing captain." The engineering rep on her right replied.

Jim smiled, her teeth a vibrant white and it made McCoy shudder. It reminded him of the sharks he saw when he was a kid at the aquarium.

"Jorski, keep us between the plasma and those ships and change our movements. Make us look damaged." Jorski nodded. The viewscreen mimicked the orders put in, the star scape swinging sluggishly from side to side.

"They're entering weapon's range." McCoy told her and Kirk nodded.

"They calling for our unconditional surrender. No terms." Uhura waited for Kirk's response.

"Are they entering the plasma cloud?"

"They just entered but one is holding back."

That'd have to do.

"Increase rear shields to maximum, fire full spread at the cloud and execute defensive pattern omega three."

The screen showed their path as the ship rolled and pitched, the explosion from the plasma cloud pushed them off course slightly but they came up under in a complicated swoop and directly in front of the remaining warbird.

"The two ships have been destroyed!" McCoy sounded shocked.

"Fire everything we have at the remaining warbird, target propulsion and weapons." She could see the last ship hadn't been prepared for the explosion, it was on it's side struggling to compensate but she wouldn't let them. Red volleys of phasers struck out hitting the ship in key areas and small explosions shook the surface of the warbird.

"Their shields are down, weapons are out and propulsion is damaged. They're dead in the water."

Kirk smiled. "Communications, send out a message to the remaining ship. Let them know that we are willing to provide assistance if they surrender."

"They said they'd rather die than face that dishonor." Uhura replied quietly.

McCoy was watching the remaining ship in his viewscreen when he saw a sudden power surge. "_Captain! _They're self destructing!"

_Shit. _"Put us between them and the Maru, now! Extend our shields over them."

The flash on the screen caused the lights in the sim to flicker and the screens to show a jumble but it quickly resolved. "Damage report."

Uhura looked shocked, her earpiece hanging from limp fingers.

"Damage report!" Kirk snapped and Uhura jumped and righted herself.

"Shields at 40%, tractor beam non-operational, 2 casualties and 30 injured. Transporters are out. The Kobiyashi Maru didn't sustain any further damage. Only minor bumps and bruises reported."

So much for an easy exit. "We're going to have to tow the Maru. Use the grappling system."

Jorski and Chekov looked puzzled and Kirk rolled her eyes. "It's a backup system. Old fashioned and almost never used but it works. Here, let me show you."

Kirk leaned over the young navigator and showed him where to aim and how to tighten the leads. Jim watched as the two lines shot out and attached to the hull of the other ship.

"Now, let's get the hell out of here." Kirk grinned and the entire bridge crew whooped in celebration as they slowly pulled the ship under impulse. Ten minutes later, once they'd "entered" federation space the sim ended and every person on the sim was jumping in joy. This was exactly what Kirk had wanted.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

On the observation deck Lieutenant Commander Spock was struggling to remain calm. He had, in the four years he had managed the program, never seen anyone succeed. Nor had he seen maneuvers like that.

"How in the _hell_ did that kid beat your test?"

Spock watched the young cadets celebrate their "victory".

"I do not know." He resolved to get to the bottom of this. He would not allow cheating and, even though the tactics displayed were impressive, it still was not possible for one ship to defeat six Klingon ships and survive. He had attempted to add more after the last one had been destroyed but his program had locked him out. He had never been stopped before but, then again, the Lt. Cmdr. had never had a need to add more to his program.

Bright blue eyes snapped up and met his from the floor if the sim. The cadet smiled defiantly at the team observing her and walked out, shoulders back and proud as she left with her team mates. Spock would not accept this.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

McCoy couldn't believe it! He just couldn't believe his eyes. She had done it. Somehow, Jim had beaten the unbeatable test. He watched as she beamed, her eyes bright with happiness and relief as she stepped down from her space near the captain's chair, fellow classmates slapping her on the back and whooping in joy.

As much as McCoy wanted to join in a sense of foreboding stopped him. It shouldn't have been possible. Even with the genius battle tactics it should not have been possible. _No one passed this test!_

Jim moved close to him, face flushed with excitement and happiness and McCoy couldn't help smiling back.

"_This! _This is why I did it!" Jim's arms went up and she spun around.

The entire "crew" was triumphant and so happy at beating the impossible. It was amazing but the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Someone was watching them but they were far from celebrating. Looking up, McCoy saw a shock of dark hair in the observation lounge for only a moment before it was gone.

"Bones, the crew are going out to celebrate."

A shiver raced down his spine and he had to force himself to smile.

Jim bounced in front of him full of energy, the vivid blue of her eyes catching his dark brown and they narrowed, seeing his discomfort.

"Kirk? Are you coming? Jorski wants to go to the Red Star Pub and celebrate." Uhura moved to stand next to Jim, putting a hand on her shoulder and jerking her from her daze.

"Uhm...no. I think I'm going to head home." Jim continued looking at him, her gaze calculating and he knew that she could sense his uneasiness, his need to be with her.

Uhura nodded, leaning towards Jim's ear. "_Tell him."_ She whispered and left. Jim's lips pressed into a thin line, her face turning grim and she endured the rest of the simulation crew leaving, congratulating her as they left.

It was strange. Normally, after each simulation, the instructor would always meet the participants after. No one met them and it added to McCoy's unease at the situation. Tell him _what_?

They made it to their quarters, Jim holding his hand and subdued, the complete opposite of what she should have been considering what had just happened. His momma had always said that he had a knack for reading people and something about Jim was sending him alarm bells ringing damn loud and clear.

"Jim, what is going on? What's wrong?" His voice was hoarse. He pulled Jim to the couch in the living room, her movements sluggish, most likely from the exhaustion from the past several weeks.

"Tell me _what_? What did Uhura mean?" He sat next to her, his hands itching to grab his med kit from the bathroom. Up close he could see that she was scared, tired and weary.

Jim took a deep breath, shuddering with it. "Bones-Leo." Swallowing hard, she turned to him and took his hands. "There's something I haven't told you. There was another reason why-" she laughed and shook her head. "Actually, several reasons why I did what I did today." Squeezing her hands, he tried to show his support for her to continue.

"Captain Pike is set to take the Enterprise at the end of the semester and he wants me to join him but..." Tears started to pool in her eyes making her look vulnerable. It was the same look their daughter Ella made when she was hurt and afraid. "The Enterprise isn't a generational ship and I can't bear the thought of being away from you and Ella even if it would only be for a little while."

McCoy felt as if someone was squeezing his heart. "You cheated on this test to what? To prevent being sent on the Enterprise?" That ship was every cadet's dream and the fact that she chose to throw it away to stay with him and their child.

Jim huffed a wet laugh. "Yeah. But it's not cheating. I altered the parameters a bit and it doesn't say anywhere that that's not allowed in the test guidelines."

The laughter bubbled up. "You _are_ crazy!"

Shrugging her shoulders, Kirk chuckled. "I figured, what's the worst they can do? The discipline parameters, at the worst, is a year's remedial courses at the academy and I decided why not go out with a bang? Besides, the Farragut will have room for all four of us when that time is up. This year will let you finish your research on intestinal parasitic infection treatments and let us spend more time on us rather than rushing. The past few years I've been so focused on me that we've not had time for _us_."

It was like time stopped, his heart fluttering in his chest like a trapped hummingbird. "You are certifiably insane, Jim!"

Biting her lip, she shifted on the couch. "Well...with this extra time, you'll be able to certify that. And it's certifiable tactical genius."

But something was niggling at him. Jim's words weren't quite right. _'Besides, the Farragut will have room for all four of us...' _All...He spun to her and gripped her shoulders, the words stuck in his throat and she nodded slowly, smiling and still afraid but joy pouring through.

"All..."

"Yes." She laughed.

The tears she had been holding back fell, the lines on her cheeks causing the path to be jagged as she smiled, beaming with happiness. She took his hands and moved them to her stomach.

"All four of us." Whispering as she rubbed small circles over his knuckles.

"You're-"

"Yes!" She exclaimed and McCoy's jaw dropped. His hands shaking as they touched her.

"We're having a baby?" He said stupidly and it was as if he had been suckerpunched. He was always able to say something but Jim, being the confusing whirlwind that she was, has stumped him into silence.

"Yes."

"No."

"_Yes!_" Giggling, Jim went to the bathroom, leaving a stunned doctor in her wake and returned with his medkit, pulling out his scanner and handing it to him, wordlessly giving him permission to verify it himself.

With numb fingers he calibrated the device, knowing that it was rare that Jim let him check her. She hated being a patient but she was allowing this, for him.

He ran the small device over her and noted the changes. Her pulse was high but she was nervous. He moved the device further down, towards her abdomen and the readings confirmed it. He could see that her uterus had grown in size, the amount of blood circulating was different, hormones elevated. Too see a more accurate picture he's need a biobed and take some samples but it was definitely there. His child.

By the time he finished his readings, Jim was squirming. Her natural displeasure at being under a doctor's scrutiny and, more importantly, under _his_ scrutiny was making her wriggle. Her lip was red and swollen from where she had been biting it and a small frown creased her forehead.

"Bones, _say something_!"

As gently as he could, he slipped his hand under flight suit. Her skin was so soft and warm and he imagined he could feel the tiny life growing there. A part of him and her and he was able to be there this time because Jim had risked her career to make sure that they would be together. He would have this chance to see her grow with his son or daughter. He had missed Jim's first pregnancy and subsequently Ella's birth, missing so much but this time he _would be there_.

"Bones-mph!" He surged forward, one hand still on her belly, the other tangling in her hair holding her by the fine blond strands as he rushed forward, claiming her lips. The soft skin yielding as he kissed her, pouring everything into it. His tongue entering her mouth and twining with hers, tasting sweet apples and something that was pure Jim. He loved this woman. This amazing woman giving him so much.

The need for air forced him to pull away, his forehead resting against hers. "I guess that means you're ok?" She panted and her tongue darted out, touching her lips. He looked down from where he had practically climbed over her. Jim's forehead was still wrinkled in worry, her cheeks still damp from tears and McCoy took his hand off her stomach, brushing it against her cheek.

"We are more than ok." He whispered. Jim sighed and the muscles relaxed under his hands. He moved his hand under her chin, pushing up so that her eyes met his and a smirk lit his face. "You do know that means you're going to need prenatal vitamins and supplements and the best way is via hypospray."

Jim blanched, then glared. "I blame you, Bones."

Laughing, he pressed a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth. "I seem to remember you being there too."

"Yeah. Well, you only had to deal with the fun bit. I get stuck with the rest." She sniffed and McCoy chuckled, moving down her body to rest his head against her stomach.

Delicate fingers carded through his hair and he closed his eyes in contentment. "But it's worth it." She murmured and he couldn't agree more.

Humming his agreement, he let Jim continue to stroke his hair. "Uhura knew?"

"Yeah." The stroking stopped but her hand remained there, holding him. "She caught me puking my guts up after a lecture and threatened to drag me to the medbay or tattle to you." He could feel her shift under him guiltily. "I wanted to tell you but, at the same time, I was scared." Her fingers traced nonsense patterns on the back of his neck. "That's why Ella's at Cathy's. In case you-" Her hand stopped and his his stomach dropped. How could she even think that he wouldn't want something so precious?

Reaching up, he gripped her hand tight, willing her to carry on.

"I just wanted to be sure."

He pulled her hand to him, kissing her palm. Leonard McCoy knew that he needed to prove to her that he was _never_ going to abandon her.

Just as he was about to turn, Jim's PADD chimed with a message. He was about to ignore it when she ushered him off to collect it from her messenger bag. She rifled through the bag and pulled it out, scowling as she read whatever it said.

"That was certainly fast. Apparently, I am scheduled for a meeting in the main auditorium." Tossing the PADD on the end table, Jim almost sat down but his own PADD started to beep. That sense of foreboding came back with a vengeance. She scooped his PADD up and handed it to him.

McCoy scanned the document, frowning at the orders for him to report to the main auditorium in Cochrane Hall tomorrow morning at 0900 hours.

Jim smiled wryly. "What's the chance that I'm getting an award ceremony for beating the unbeatable test?"

"Pretty damn unlikely, kid." He snorted.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry in advance for the lateness. Things have been hectic, not to mention difficult. The msin reasoning being my daughter being ill and in and out of the hospital. I appreciate the patience of most but some are quite persistent and harsh in their requests for an update but I would appreciate a bit of empathy in that respect. i write mostly for my joy and that of my readers. While I understand that sometimes it is frustrating waiting for an update, my real life takes precedence. I thank you for your support and hope that this chapter is as enjoyable to read as it was to write.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Three

"Jim, a minute?"

Kirk spun on her heel at the sound of her mentor, Christopher Pike. His face was grim and set, clothed in his fleet uniform showing his full rank as Captain rather than his instructor blacks and Jim swallowed nervously.

"I'll...see you inside." Bones grimly patted her arm and continued on towards Cochrane Hall, leaving her alone with Pike. He gestured silently to an empty classroom and she followed. Jim could see the tension in the stiff way he held himself.

Once the door closed, he turned and faced her, his grey eyes piercing Jim where she stood. "Just what in _the hell_ were you thinking, Jim?" Kirk straightened at parade rest and waited, knowing that he was just getting started.

"_Were_ you even thinking? Do you realize that the admiralty is going to make an example out of you?" He bent and gripped her biceps, practically shaking her.

"I _can't_ help you! They are going to rip you apart out there and there is nothing. I. Can. _Do_!"

Jim clenched her jaw. She could see that he was extremely upset and she felt awful for this.

He pulled back at her lack of response. "Just...just tell me _why_? I had you slated for the Enterprise! As it is, We'll be lucky if you're even going to be able to _serve_ after pulling that stunt."

It was like a hand was squeezing her heart and she firmed her resolve. She had made her bed, now it was time to lie in it. "That's exactly why, sir."

"What?"

Jim loosened her hands from behind her back and relaxed her posture. "I can't be on the Enterprise, sir, but that's not the only reason."

Pike jerked back as if she had slapped him. "And why not?"

"The Enterprise isn't a family ship."

"I know but think of it this way. It'd be one year, maybe less, and by then I'm confident you would have earned a high enough rank to have any pick of assignments you could want. What you did was career suicide. Most cadets would be dreaming of this opportunity and you _threw_ it away!"

His voice had raised loud enough to almost be a shout and Jim had to step back.

"If it's an issue of Ella going out into the black without you, she wouldn't be. She'd be here on Earth with McCoy, safe and sound."

"I am _not_ leaving my daughter behind just so I can advance my career and you shouldn't expect me to. We are a package deal and if that's the issue, I'd rather not be here. That was the _first_ thing I had stipulated when I joined up." She snapped.

A vein was throbbing in Pike's temple and his face had turned red. Jim had never seen him this mad and she stepped back again subconsciously.

"Don't put words in my mouth. My point is is that sometimes, in the service, we get orders and assignments that we don't like and if we catered to every whim then our organization would fall apart."

"It isn't a _whim_." Jim hissed. "I _will not _leave behind my child and Bones!"

Pike's eyes flashed. "And what was your second reason for this idiotic thing you did?"

"I believe that there is no such thing as a no-win scenario and that simulation is sending the wrong message."

"That's not the message at all! You are one of the best and brightest in this academy! How could you be so _stupid_?" Pike slammed his hand on a table next to him and Jim jumped. The silence following was deafening. The only sound was Pike's deep breathing as he tried to bring himself under control.

A sharp knock broke the quiet. "Sir? It's 0900." A small ensign poked her head in and left before anyone could reply.

He straightened and tugged his uniform straight, putting on a blank mask and left. Jim followed, knowing what was going to happen.

The auditorium was packed with, what she was sure was the entire academy. She could see the Admirals at the center, lower than them but no less powerful in their position. Whispers flew around the room like small birds fluttering and it mimicked Jim's heart. For the first time, she doubted her conviction but the smug expression on Admiral Marcus' face firmed her resolve. She fucking hated losing.

Admiral Richard Barnett stood, peering at the crowd and silence fell automatically. "Cadet James T. Kirk, step forward."

She stood and felt Bones squeeze her arm in support before it fell away, leaving her cold.

"An incident has occurred," Admiral Barnett began, "that concerns the entire student body. Academic immorality by one is an assault on us _all_. It will _not_ be allowed to stand. Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting you violated regulation seventeen four three pursuant to the Starfleet code of Ethical Conduct. Is there anything you care to say before we begin?"

She damn well knew that code and it was extremely loose in it's definition. Only someone extremely anal would be able to put that code to use for what she did. She would stand tall, bolstered by the certainty that she had done nothing wrong.

"Yes, sir, I do. I believe I have the right under the same code of conduct to face my accuser directly."

The Admiral conferred briefly with the administrator on his right, then looked back. Not a Kirk but toward someone in the audience. A figure rose. It was humanoid but definitely not human. At least, not entirely human. His eyes betrayed him.

Of course it would be a damn vulcan. She glared venomously at her accuser and he gazed back. Even though he put off an air of indifference she could see the dislike and disgust clear in his eyes. There was a sense of triumph in his pose as if he was pleased at the turn of events.

The admiral continued. "Cadet Kirk, this is Commander Spock, one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobiyashi Maru test for the last four years an has improved it considerably in the process. At least, it was regarded as improved until your last run through threw many of the modifications into question."

"Cadet Kirk." The Vulcan's toneless voice was deceptively controlled. "Much time was spent assessing relevant information following your recent taking of the test in question. Upon careful review, it became clear that a subroutine was activated that had been embedded in the programming code, an insertion that somehow succeeded in evading all protective firewalls and resets, thereby changing the conditions of the test."

"And what happened due to that subroutine being activated?" She asked politely.

The vulcan commander stiffened. "In academic vernacular, you cheated."

There are two kinds of silence, dead quiet and quieter than dead. She knew both intimately and it was the latter that gripped the hall.

"Respectfully," Kirk shot back. "you wouldn't accuse me of cheating unless you knew something I don't. The test's rigged, isn't it? I figured that out the second time I attempted the test. Follow-up research into four successive years of preceding failures that I carried out on my own time only confirmed what I already suspected. You programmed it to be unwinnable and when someone surpassed the impossible, you added more into the program, bypassing _your own_ set standards. Given the available parameters, there is no way of saving the _Kobiyashi Maru_ and it's crew and passengers. So the only way to win is to prevent you from altering the set standards. There was no alteration to the program itself, only to prevent you from altering the program further after the orginal conditions, set by yourself, had been met."

She watched the vulcan, clearly he was seeing utter fury as he narrowed his eyes. He had probably reasoned that she had just done it to do it, not actually put thought into her circumnavigation of the rules.

"Also, even in my case, there were casualties. It was not a simple 'win', _sir_. The odds of finding more than five Klingon warbirds in the middle of the neutral zone, attacking a simple cargo ship and science vessel during peace time, is incalculable. Not to mention, that at that point, it would be considered an invading force. There would have been some notice or information given to current captains about the inherent risks involved as to this possibility and as a result Starfleet would have sent a ship more equipped to rescue rather than a simple science vessel. Also, if this was the case and it was unknown, then I should be _extremely_ worried for the state of Starfleet Intelligence that this attack would go unknown." She pointedly looked at Marcus whose face had turned an interesting shade of beet red.

"The point being, _sir_, is that I didn't cheat. I simply prevented _you_ from cheating. Nothing was altered. Things were prevented." She could hear shocked gasps running through the audience and a few admiring glances thrown her way. She had to fight the smile that was threatening to erupt. The vulcan commander looked like he had swallowed a lemon.

He quickly recovered. "Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario."

Kirk bridled. She wanted to throw more than words at the infuriating vulcan. "I don't believe in no-win scenarios, sir."

"Then not only have you violated the rules," The commander informed her, "you have failed to understand the principal lesson that is embodied in the test."

"I had believed that the principal was to never give up, sir. I am confident that I achieved that goal but please, _sir_, _enlighten me_. I abase myself to your _clearly_ superior knowledge." She added a slight bow to her snark.

"The principal lesson, that you should be intimately familiar with, is that a captain cannot cheat death. The inevitable must be met with as much skill and resolution as possible. When 'winning' is self-evidently not an attainable goal, such as the case of your father, Lieutenant-Commander George Kirk, the objective must be to preserve and protect as much as one can. This was a captain's task that he performed when he engaged the unknown ship and protected the eight-hundred lives on the escape shuttles, one of which contained his own wife and yourself, having been born moments before.

That is the task of whoever is forced to take the Kobiyashi Maru test. To achieve what can be achieved when survivability is no longer an option. To achieve not to evade."

Kirk's jaw ached at the force with which she was clamping her jaw. The utter gall and low blow of bringing up her father's death, _simply to win an argument!_ Kirk's voice became so low, she'd be surprised if he heard her, vulcan hearing not withstanding. "You have no clue, sir, what it truly means to have to fight when survivability isn't an option. A test cannot _ever_ hope to educate about real life situations and how one would react when confronted with the reality." Memories of Tarsus IV and Spock's smug argument swirled around in a veritable tornado. Jim could see Captain Pike nudging the staff at the table, his face showing a hint of panic at the turn of the argument and the Admirals themselves showing signs of discomfort. They knew her file. They had the clearance. Commander Spock didn't.

Spock didn't notice, his full attention on the, seemingly, arrogant cadet in front of him. "Given that your experience in space travel is limited to the day of your birth and carefully orchestrated training exercises via the Academy, you lack the experience necessary to make that judgement. You advocate a methodology based on assumption and emotion, not familiarity and knowledge."

He didn't know. He couldn't have known. Otherwise he would have _never_ issued that blanket statement. She could see Pike shaking his head slightly in warning and she could feel McCoy's aborted attempts at support at her back. Spock continued, either oblivious to Jim's paleness at his statement or he was deliberately ignoring it.

"Management of a crisis situation depends on a captain's certainty that the crew can and will follow orders no matter how desperate or seemingly hopeless the circumstances in which they find themselves in the face of ensured defeat."

If only he knew. She damn well knew what it was like already to be a leader in a hopeless situation. Pursing her lips, she waited while he continued.

"By artificially altering those circumstances you introduced an element that was outside the given parameters of the test. As a consequence those cadets under your command had their own responses compromised. To satisfy _your own _base need to win at all costs, you were willing to sacrifice their performance ratings."

Spock's breathing had accelerated and his cheeks were tinged green in what was clearly excitement.

"There is an error in your logic, Commander." She replied and a gasp went through the room.

"Enlighten me." He snapped.

Jim smiled tightly, her eyes fully focused on her opponent.

"First off, _sir_, the original parameters were never altered. The subroutine only prevented _you_ from altering the program once the original parameter guidelines were met. It prevented _you_ from cheating, sir." She added, her smile growing wider at the murmurs starting to surround her.

"Furthermore, a crisis by definition is a surprise. And a surprise by definition has no parameters. It is whatever it is at the moment it announces itself. Consequently, any action taken to counter itself is self-evidently valid. Which justifies _my_ actions. In a real-life crisis situation it's often the actions taken outside accepted rules, regulations and parameters that result in success. Following the rules, going by the book, if you'll excuse the cliche, is frequently the quickest path to disaster. Evidently we espouse different approaches to crisis management, Commander. 'Crisis Management'-taken at face value, there's no rule book for _that_."

She straightened proudly as he seemed to falter in a rebuttal. Sometimes, it was best to not kick a man when he was down but she had always been taught that sometimes you had to keep kicking a man when he was down for him to stay the hell down.

"Also, sir, I believe in going into every situation with the hope of defeating my opponent not going in expecting defeat. To accept defeat is to invite the loss of control of the situation. Since _you_ brought up _my_ father, George Kirk's, _supposed_ defeat, I have to say that it is my opinion, and I'm relatively sure that it is also the opinion of most of Starfleet, that it was **not** a defeat. It was a **goddamn victory**! He overcame insurmountable odds and if the cost of his victory was his life to ensure it, he did it without hesitation. He didn't lose. _He won._ So yes. I absolutely do not believe in no-win scenarios. There is no such thing."

The auditorium was in an uproar. Jim flushed at the sounds of clapping and cheers at her final argument. No-one noticed the small yeoman rushing through the halls and handing the PADD to Admiral Barnett, a panicked face amid the smiling cadets.

Jim was pulled into a congratulatory hug by Leonard, her last view of Commander Spock was of him sitting down tasting his own defeat. Over Bones' shoulder she could see the Admirals talking, their faces serious despite the jovial atmosphere.

Admiral Marcus stood, banging an old-fashioned gavel to call a halt to the chaos that had erupted. The hall fell silent at the interruption, all eyes now forward. It wasn't what they were expecting.

"This is a Red Alert! All officers are to report to duty stations. All third and fourth year cadets to report to your barracks' officers in hanger one for immediate assignment. This is not a drill." His gaze swept out over the sea of faces, all of which, he reflected, were far too young.

"This hearing is in recess until further notice. Assembly dismissed, attendees to comply with all applicable alert regulations." Turning and moving fast, he exited out the back of the amphitheater. The rest if the council of Staff were hot on his heels, talking animatedly among themselves.

A veritable sea of brightly colored uniforms was set in motion as cadets hurried, under control but moving fast, some loud, some excited but all curious. Others broke into a run, not wishing to be the last out considering the unusual events that had been happening this morning.

Everyone except Kirk. The center of attention a moment earlier, she had been all but forgotten. McCoy gripped her arm, steering her to move from her place where she had been frozen.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

To a visitor it might have looked as if the main hangar was consumed by panic. What an outsider took for chaos was, in fact, organized frenzy. Everyone was in motion and nobody was standing still, their Starfleet training coming into play sooner than it should have had to.

Admiral Barnett's voice rang out over the din.

_"We have a crisis situation. We have received a distress call from Vulcan. Further details will be forthcoming, but as of this moment, you are no longer cadets. You are Starfleet officers. I'm afraid that for this year's class the usual graduation ceremonies will have to be postponed. Your official certifications will be placed in your files, which may be inspected at your leisure once you are in space. Listen for your assignments. If you do not hear your name called, check with the nearest senior officer."_

Pike scrolled through his list of assigned personnel, growling when he saw that Jim's name wasn't on his list but that she had been pilfered by the _USS Farragut_. He noticed McCoy's name in the medical section. It seemed that Kirk's gamble hadn't paid off as well as she'd hoped. They had still been separated.

He moved through the throng of cadets, seeking out the Farragut's captain, Stephen Garrovick. Jim was his responsibility and it wasn't right that she had been reassigned without him even being informed even if this was an emergency situation. He could understand her being grounded but this was something else. Kirk's and McCoy's preferences to serve together as a family unit were listed and understood with her posting assignments but Admiral Marcus bypassed standard procedure and deliberately reassigned both Kirk and McCoy ensuring they were separated for the foreseeable future, most likely as punishment for her actions.

McCoy wasn't under his jurisdiction but Kirk was as long as he had a sign off from her current commanding officer. He spotted Garrovick about to enter his shuttle and shouted his name. The older captain stopped and quickly moved down the ramp.

"Stephen, I need your ok to reassign a cadet to the Enterprise." He held out the document and Garrovick quickly read it, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Chris, I can't countermand an Admiral's orders. I can see why he wants her away from your first officer though." He handed the PADD back, apologetic. "She certainly held her own against your Vulcan. Never thought I'd see the day that Cmdr. Spock was bested in a debate." He smiled ruefully and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Chris."

Pike gritted his teeth and clutched the plastic. Jim's creativity and fight was exactly why he wanted her on his ship and exactly why she was wanted on almost every other ship. There was an unexplained urge to have her serve on his ship. It just seemed...safer if he was there to keep an eye on her. He knew he was hitting below the belt but he had to try. "Stephen, I'm asking as a friend and fellow captain, sign the document."

Garrovick paused, his expression serious. "I can't but there might be another way. This way it doesn't look bad. Medical regulations supersede orders."

Relief and understanding flooded Pike and he smiled. "Thanks."

Garrovick shrugged. "Politics. It's all about politics."

Pike left. He needed to find two cadets and fast.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Jim let Bones tug her along the line of the shuttles, searching for a commanding officer and keeping their ears open for their names. Spotting Uhura, Jim slid in next to her.

"Blake-_USS Newton_, Burke-_Starbase Three_, Counters-_USS Odyssey_, Fulman-_Regula One_, Tel'Peh-_USS Bradbury_, Uhura-_USS Farragut_..."

Jim saw the woman stiffen, her eyes narrow and fists clench.

"McCoy-_USS Enterprise_, Korax-_USS Drake_, Kirk-_USS Farragut_." She felt a stone settle into her stomach. McCoy turned and his brown eyes showed his shock and surprise. Forcing a smile she didn't feel she reached for his hand to give it a comforting squeeze.

Uhura was practically spitting nails at her assignment. "Hey, Uhura, looks like we'll be buddies on the _Farragut_ together. Can't get rid of me that easily." Kirk hip-bumped her, smiling. At least she wouldn't be alone.

Her head snapped around and Jim actually took a step back. She was surprised laser beams weren't shooting out of the woman's eyes. Both Kirk and McCoy threw up their hands in surrender and Uhura quickly caught herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep calming breath.

"Uhura, you're not the only one not happy about the assignments but we're here to do a rescue mission right now. The _Farragut_ is a great ship. We've both served on her last year for a semester and it's only temporary for this mission." McCoy soothed her but she wasn't listening.

"We'll see about _that_. I _earned_ my position on the _Enterprise_." She spun on her heel and left them, her temper so obvious that the sea of red uniforms parted around her.

Kirk whistled. "I'd sure hate to be whoever it is that she's going after right now."

With Uhura gone, the realization that her and McCoy were going on separate ships came back to the forefront. Since they'd gotten together, they had been inseparable. Jim felt as if half of her was being pulled away. "So...I'd better head over to my shuttle."

McCoy's eyes were fierce and full of anger at the situation. He hated that she wasn't going to be where he could be with her, where he could keep her _safe_. His mind was telling him that she would be fine but his gut was telling him he shouldn't let her go.

He needed this. Pulling her against him, he looked into her eyes and saw a swirling storm of blue. Jim surged against him, her fingers digging into his arms as his lips met hers in a desperate kiss. He loved her and he wanted to marry this woman, the mother of his daughter Ella and soon another, so that they could never be apart again.

They separated, both of them out of breath and Jim rested her head in McCoy's shoulder, just breathing him in for a minute. "I'll call Gaila and Cathy and let them know what's going on once I get a chance, okay? I'm sure they won't mind a few extra days watching Ella."

McCoy squeezed tighter, hugging her to him. "Don't worry 'bout it. My mom'll help out if they need it. She's always looking for her grandbaby fix. I'll let her know too."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and smelled the sweet flower shampoo Jim loved. "I'll see you soon. You keep yourself and that baby safe, y'hear?"

She nodded into his shoulder and pulled away, McCoy watching as she left for the shuttles headed for her ship. He got about halfway to his assigned shuttle when a strong arm grabbed him.

"Captain Pike?"

The captain smiled. "Doctor McCoy, I think Kirk is headed for the wrong ship, don't you think?"

He couldn't help the grin that split his face.

Oooooooooooooo

Jim was halfway up the ramp when she was pulled from behind. Years of training stopped her from lashing out when she realized who it was who'd grabbed her.

"Bones? What are you doing?" She nodded past the doctor. "Your shuttle's waiting. I thought you'd be-"

"C'mon. Follow me." He grumbled and tugged her away, his grip firm and sure.

Too shocked and numb by circumstances, she allowed it with an apologetic glance at her fellow crew members who grumbled as they were jostled by the pair rapidly leaving.

McCoy moved towards the back of the hangar, his eyes furtively glancing all around. Jim looked around, curious and suspicious at what her friend was dragging her into. She could see that they were at the medical supplies. He sat her on a crate while his fingers roamed along the refrigerated units. His frown pronounced momentarily and he shrugged before grabbing a small container.

Kirk's attention shifted between her friend's frantic searching and the bustle of people and machines on the other side of the stockpile. "Bones, what are we doing here? I'm supposed to be on my shuttle. We're going to get caught and I'm not really in the best position right now considering I was _on trial_ less than an hour ago." She whispered.

"I'm looking for a solution to a problem in a solution. You're needed on the _Enterprise_. Ah! This'll do!" Pulling a cartridge out of the container, he ripped open the packaging and shoved the cylinder into a hypospray. The mechanism activated and he promptly stabbed it into Jim's neck.

"OW! _The fuck?_ What the hell, Bones?" Jim slapped a hand over her neck and promptly reached out with her other to snatch the hypo but McCoy was pulling away too fast.

"Don't worry. It's safe. Pregnant women have these sorts of shots all the time but..." He looked guilty and swung his ever present med kit onto his shoulder. "You're going to start to lose vision in your left eye."

Almost before the doctor finished his statement, she leaned forward and started blinking rapidly, her vision was gone in one eye! She had to remind herself that he would never hurt her but her heart started beating wildly as panic set in. "What'd you do to me?"

McCoy gripped her under her armpits and pulled her up, letting her lean her weight on him. "And you're about to get a real bad headache."

Jim started to fall, her head splitting in two. She hadn't felt this bad in years. McCoy anticipated this reaction and stabilized her, holding her tight against him. He had been hoping for a more mild reaction but she was going to be fine. He just needed to get her on board and in the medical bay soon.

"I just shot you with a vaccine designed to prevent the viral infection caused by the bite of the Melvarian mud flea." Jim started slipping in his grip and he hefted her higher. "The fact that there aren't any Melvarian mud fleas within a hundred light years of hear is irrelevant. It's the side effects that are important. Since the vaccine is derived from an emulsion made from the internal organs of the flea itself, amid but easily treatable case of the infection is unavoidable. Without getting into the xenobiological specifics, the short version is that you'll be feeling the symptoms of the disease for about an hour."

Consciously deranged, Kirk gazed open mouthed at McCoy. "You infected me with _an alien mud flea virus!_" Her limbs barely supported her as she tried to pull away but his grip on her waist was unbreakable. "Why?"

"Pike came up with an idea to get you on board the _Enterprise_. Apparently, he, like me, wanted to keep an eye on you."

"Oh, and this was your guys's idea? The best that you could do? I feel so safe right now." Jim snapped, her vision swaying as they walked.

She could practically feel the eye roll.

They barely made it to the front in time. They were the last to get to the shuttle. A klaxon was sounding and the running lights showed it was in the final check stages for takeoff.

The young officer in charge was about to berate the cadets for being late when he got a good look at the woman hanging off the medical cadet. He had seen hungover cadets, sick cadets and even those who'd survived Klingon hand-to-hand advanced training but he'd never seen anyone who looked as bad as her.

"_Oh my god!_ What happened to her?" His grip on his list faltered and he fumbled the PADD in shock. Jim really wanted to strangle Bones but her hands had started to swell and her fingers more accurately resembled sausages so her grip was pretty bad.

Struggling to keep a hold on Jim, McCoy started to explain. "She's suffering from an enflamed epididymis complicated by excessive swelling of the ego region of the cerebral cortex. Got exposed to a gram-negative baterium strain in the lab. Was writing out the orders to send her to medical when the alert sounded."

Jim rolled her eyes and glared at McCoy. Maybe she could get off on temporary insanity if she killed him now. Had he just said she had a big head?

The officer stepped back, holding the PADD in front of him like a shield. "Is it contagious?"

The doctor shook his head. "Wholly internalized, transmitted only by direct fluid exchange. No danger to anyone else. She should come through it fine if the fever doesn't boil her brain." _Gross!_

Kirk's eyes widened in fear as they snapped up to the face of the man who was responsible for her current predicament. She was going to _kill_ Pike too. He put Bones up to this.

"Names?" The officer asked.

"McCoy, Leonard H. and Kirk, James T." He answered.

The young man frowned, checking his list twice. "She's not cleared for the _Enterprise_. She's assigned to the _Farragut_."

McCoy interrupted. "Look, we're operating under Red Alert conditions and I don't have time to argue. I am assigned to the _Enterprise_, and Starfleet Medical Regulations state that the treatment and transport of a patient is to be determined at the discretion of their attending physician, which is me. Since _I'm_ assigned to the ship, so is she, even if it's temporary. Check your regs. Medical evaluation supersedes standard orders. As her physician providing treatment, I can't abandon her. She comes with me."

He looked unsure and McCoy continued, feeding on the youth's insecurity. "Or would you like to explain to Captain Pike why the _Enterprise_ warped into a crisis situation without one of it's senior medical officers?"

The officer hesitated, snuck another look at his manifest. A new alarm sounded indicating that departure was imminent. He had another half dozen shuttles to check and he was already behind. He wasn't about to risk his career for something he might not be in the right for.

Lowering his head, he jerked his stylus towards the open portal. "As you were."

"As _you_ were." McCoy pulled an increasingly uncooperative Jim through the shuttle.

"Oh, God!" She moaned.

"C'mon. Move your legs." He grumbled and tried to wriggle down the aisle.

"I have legs?"

"Not funny, kid." She was shoved carefully into a seat by the window and was buckled in by a motherhenning boyfriend. The trilling of a tricorder set her teeth on edge and the shuttle started to rumble as it took off.

"Bones-"

His eyes were in the readout, scowl in place.

"I may throw up on you."

He paused in his scanning, lips in a thin line. "Jim, you're going to be fine. I promise."

She leaned to her left, letting her head fall onto his shoulder. "Yeah. I know but you couldn't have found an easier way to get me on board the Enterprise?"

She could feel the rumble of his chest as he laughed and he wrapped an arm around her. "I like to keep it interesting."

Accelerating steadily, the compact craft climbed through the atmosphere. Dark blue sky gave way to violet then black. Below them, the curve of the Earth stood out vivid and bright and so small.

Then Starbase 1 came into view. The veritable city in space was a hive of activity, every dock containing a ship and shuttles flying everywhere. Jim's eyes were drawn to the nearest port, it's markings standing out clear and sharp against it's gleaming white hull.

**USS Enterprise NCC-1701**

She remembered the first time she'd seen it. Unfinished, skeletal with holes in her sides at the shipyard in her hometown. It had looked like it had been chained to the ground but now it was graceful and sleek, elegant and ready to travel the stars.

The shuttle flew in an arc, landing in the bay and it was mere moments before they were able to depart, the two of them being the last to leave. Her balance was still off but she felt more steady than she had moments ago but she felt flushed and sweaty.

"I feel like I'm leaking! Are you _sure_ you know what you're doing?"

McCoy pulled Jim alongside him, spotting Spock heading in their direction. "Oh, look-it's the pointy eared _bastard_." He was still angry at what the Vulcan had resorted to.

Fortunately for the two of them, he was able to get them into an unoccupied side corridor while the vulcan was too engrossed in the readout he was studying.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi all! I'm sorry that I have left this story for so long but things have been pretty hard for me lately. I don't know how quickly I will update but I will try to be more regular. My daughter has become a major priority for me lately so I'm busy with her and writing has taken a backseat lately. I only hope this chapter sort of makes up for it. **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Five

A lift deposited the preoccupied Commander onto the bridge of the Enterprise. It was immaculate. Unmarred, and as of yet unused. The bridge had no surface that was unpolished and every console shined. All of this was noted by the vulcan as he took his seat at his station. He was pleased to see that everything was perfect. It fit together as it should and functioned as expected.

"All decks report ready for launch, captain." His nonchalance suggested he had uttered the words many times from experience but this was his first. His first assignment as Commander and, most certainly, his first on the fleet's flagship.

"Very well." Shifting slightly in his seat, Captain Pike looked towards the helm. "Set a course for Vulcan. Maximum warp."

"Course laid in, sir." The lieutenant at the controls replied.

"Punch it."

"Aye, sir." Though still in his early twenties, Hikaru Sulu was already regarded by many as one of the best pilots in Starfleet. Even as a young teenager, he had always been flying, practically terrifying his parents with his stunts.

His fingers slid deftly over the helm controls and...nothing happened.

Uncertain faces began to turn in his direction. The captain frowned.

"Something the matter, Lieutenant?"

"I'm not sure, Captain. I..."

"Where's Helmsman McKenna?"

Sulu flushed in embarrassment. "He has lungworms, sir." Sulu answered uneasily. "He'll be fine but was unable to report for duty. I'm Hikaru Sulu."

Pike raised an eyebrow. "And you are a pilot, yes?"

"Very much so, sir." Sulu's eyes roved over his console, trying to see where he went wrong. "I'm not sure what's wrong here..."

Pike could see how flustered the young man was. He had read his file. He knew that he was the best even though he had limited real life experience. "Is the parking brake on?"

Sulu continued to try and determine the problem, knowing that now all of the bridge was watching him. "No. I'll figure it out, just..."

A voice spoke up from the science stations. "Have you checked to ensure that all subsidiary connections to the star base have been disengaged?"

As he tried to hide his rising anxiety, his eyes noticed a small readout on the main monitors. He quickly pressed the controls to disengage fully. "Ready for warp, sir."

Captain Pike nodded and smiled. "The external inertial dampener. That's the parking brake."

The lieutenant's face heated. "Understood, sir."

The captain stood and looked over his crew, most untried and new just like his ship. "Many of you have served with me before. To those who are new to duty, I extend a hearty welcome and my apologies for the haste with which you have been called into active service. Current circumstances dictate speed and I know you will all rise to the challenge. The maiden voyage of our newest flagship deserves more pomp and circumstance than we can afford today. It's christening will have to be our reward for a safe return." His chest swelled with pride at his crew. These were the people he had hand-picked. They were the best of the best.

He switched the toggle on his chair to the ship's intercom. "All decks, this is Captain Pike. Final preparations should be completed and all hands at stations. Prepare for immediate departure."

He turned back to the helm. "Now then, Mister Sulu, let's punch it."

xXxpagebreakxXx

In the main medical bay, technicians and support personnel were completing last minute set-ups while Jim sat on a bio-bed, the only still thing in a veritable hive of activity. She felt useless and she felt guilty. She was supposed to be on the Farragut. The Enterprise was a dream assignment for any and every cadet but it wasn't a family ship and never would be. It was the only fault she saw with the ship. She didn't care that she was stunting her career. Ella was the most important thing to her, Bones a close second, and she wanted to be with her family. It was probably selfish of her but she hated being away from her daughter for any length of time and the Farragut was a generational ship, a science vessel, and a home all in one. They explored where no-one has before and that was amazing.

She wiggled her sausage fingers and coughed a bit as she tried to make herself more comfortable. Her cadet reds had been unceremoniously tossed by Bones because of it making her stick out like a sore thumb. And speaking of sore thumbs...

"Bones, this is awful! What'd you do to me?" She rubbed at her neck which itched slightly and frowned as he came up, reports and PADDs in his hands with a med kit dangling off his shoulder.

He placed everything on a bedside tray and gently pushed her down, running scans through the biobed. "It's just a mild reaction, don't be such an infant."

His eyes were glued to the screen above her head and Jim squirmed, hating being vulnerable and not knowing what was happening to her body. She watched McCoy, fully in doctor mode as he opened his kit and began running a more detailed scan, focusing on her abdomen. He frowned and adjusted a setting on the screen above her head and Jim felt dread.

"Is the baby...?" She whispered.

McCoy's face relaxed and his mouth curved upwards, he pressed something on the screen and Jim heard it. A fast whoosh whoosh whoosh, their baby's heartbeat.

Jim grinned and let out a nervous laugh, feeling some tension leak from her shoulders and McCoy finally set his eyes on her. They were so bright, so happy, and Jim smiled back.

"Everything's just fine. You're about nine weeks along and, right now, you need to rest." He put away his kit and started to collect his things. "I'll be back in about an hour or so. I need to check in with my CMO and set up my station and I've got about a million other things to get done."

Jim blinked, her vision slowly returning in her left eye. She watched the other officers bustle around her and it frustrated her being so still. As if reading her mind, Bones put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, kid. I'll have you busy enough helping, soon. You're gonna be my candy striper and keep a low profile until Pike finds a way to get you onto active duty. Just relax."

Jim glared at Bones but suddenly smiled bright and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I never knew you were so kinky. A candy striper? Seriously?"

McCoy sputtered and his face turned red in embarrassment. "What!?"

Jim counted it as win especially when he walked away still beet red. She watched as he headed out of the portal and into the main surgical area. She could hear him barking orders and complaining until the door finally closed on his tirade. She felt a pang of guilt riling him up like that but it was always entertaining.

Jim laid on her side under the blanket a nurse had covered her with for a few hours, wiggling her swollen fingers and fidgeting. She had never done well with relaxing. It just wasn't in her vocabulary.

The comm system came on and screens lit up, Jim perked up slightly and watched.

_"Your attention, please. This is Ensign Pavel Chekov speaking to you from the bridge. The keptin has asked me to brief you on our rescue mission."_

Jim couldn't help smiling at the youth. He couldn't have been more than eighteen. She and Bones were among the older cadets, having chosen this life far later than most. She could see his excitement and she loved it.

_"At twenty-two hundred hours GMT, long range sensors detected an energy surge of astronomical proportions in the Vulcan quadrant of Federation Space. It was described as 'a lightning storm in space.' As there were and are no known stellar phenomena in the area capable of producing such a surge on such short notice, this eruption immediately attracted the attention of a broad spectrum of Federation scientists. Soon after, Starfleet Command decoded a distress signal from the Vulcan High Council declaring that seismic sensors situated across the entire surface of the planet were predicting massive tectonic shifts within the planetary crust that could trigger immense earthquakes and unprecedented volcanic activity."_

The smile slid off Jim's face. Something niggled in her mind about that transmission. She knew she had heard that descriptive phrase before. Swinging her legs off the bed, she wandered over to an unused console and pulled up the file.

She scanned the document and frowned. It seemed straightforward. The energy anomaly, the tectonic disruptions, the related forces involved-all understandable but the reason wasn't clear.

"A lightning storm in space." Jim mumbled. Where had she heard that description before. It couldn't be...could it? God, her head hurt. Jim shook her head and kept scrolling through files.

"Oh good, Jim. You're up and about. How do you feel?" McCoy came over, dressed in his medical blues.

Jim shook her head, trying to clear it and focus on her work.

"_Good God, woman!_" He gasped and immediately started trying to pull her back to the bed but she wouldn't shift. After a few minutes, he growled and started scanning her frantically.

"_What!_" Jim snapped and followed his eyes to her hands, finally noticing that they had swollen to elephantine proportions. "What the hell, Bones!"

"It's a reaction to the vaccine, dammit! You need to get back into bed, now!" He started to pull her harder and she shook him off, scrolling through the electronic files, searching. She needed the original transmission. The one from the Kelvin before it went down.

It took a bit of digging but she found it. There was no accompanying visual but she heard it. The same exact wording, the same readings! It was the same! The hairs on the back of her neck started to rise and her lips parted in disbelief.

"Holy..."

McCoy was furiously scanning Kirk. The readings were not good. Her blood pressure was reaching too high, the risk of seizure or stroke was close. Her heart rate was rapidly reaching tachycardia. She wasn't just suffering minor symptoms anymore.

"We've got to stop the ship! Now!"

Kirk whirled, almost knocking McCoy over. "Something's wrong. If I'm right, we're in trouble."

She started to run out of the medbay, oblivious to McCoy's shouts. She could feel him running behind her.

"Jim, I said low profile! That means you're supposed to stay..." McCoy grabbed hypos on his way out, juggling them with his should kit and growling the whole way. "I'm serious! You need to come back to the med bay. Your heart is beating too fast and-"

She ignored him, her focus on the possible trap they were flying into. She found an interface and cursed because her fingers had swollen so bad she couldn't type. "God dammit! Computer, current location of communications specialist Nyota Uhura."

_"As an officer, lieutenant Uhura's location is privatized unless-" _

"DO IT!" She forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to calm herself even as her chest started to hurt and McCoy's own panic, now that he'd caught up with her, had started to make her struggle.

"Analyze urgency in request tone and calibrate accordingly." She smiled briefly as the computer started to locate her. _"Lieutenant Uhura is at communications monitoring station, deck four."_

"I haven't seen a reaction this bad since med school. You are coming back with me, _now_!" Fumbling in his med kit for the correct medication, he looked up to see his patient was gone. He scowled and raced down the corridor and rounded a turn just in time to see the lift doors shut in front of his charge. He took a step back, forced to wait for the next lift. "_Dammit, Jim!_"

Jim knew Bones was going to kill her but she needed to do this. Time was running out. Communications monitoring was mostly staffed by junior officers, all focused on their current tasks.

She spotted Uhura not too far away and almost got to her before an arm grabbed her bicep, this time much stronger than usual. Jim turned and saw McCoy, his face red and clearly very angry. His eyes weren't their usual soft brown when he looked at her. Instead they were dark.

"Jim, so help me god, get your ass back to medical! I swear you are not going to even see another section of this ship except the view from a bio-bed for the rest of the trip for that stunt you are pulling." He snarled and Jim recoiled, not used to him being this upset.

She needed him to understand. She would never do something like this unless it was important. "Leo, trust me!" She poured every ounce of sincerity she could into her words, praying he'd let her go. His grip loosened and she seized the opportunity to run to Nyota.

She got about two steps before she felt a sting in her neck and she spun back towards Bones. "-the _fuck_!"

"I trust you but I _won't_ let you die." He snapped.

She turned away from her boyfriend/doctor and finally got to Uhura before he stabbed her in the neck again, this time far less gentle. "_Ow! Stop it!_"

Any other time, she would have found it amusing the look of shock on Uhura's face as she recognized her.

"I need to talk to you." She gasped and shook her head, feeling light-headed. Sometimes, she really hated Bones.

"No. Way." The other woman gaped at her in astonishment.

"You've _got_ to listen to me! I know you nerd out down in the communications building after hours. Did you hear anything unusual? Anything last night?" Jim asked. Uhura frowned at her and Jim wanted to scream. Couldn't she see that this was urgent?

"Uh...there was a transmission from the Klingon prison planet, rura penthe. What-"

Kirk shook her head. "What-what exactly did it say?"

Uhura suddenly saw Jim's hands, her focus on communications gone as she saw them. "_Oh, my god!_ What happened to your hands? Are you ok?"

She moved as close as she could, trying to draw less attention to herself. She could already see several officers talking and she knew she didn't have much time before security or a medical team showed up and dragged her back to the medbay, thinking she was crazy, maybe freaking out from her first mission or something. Uhura's eyes darted around, settling on the doctor frantically scanning her friend and the portal which, miraculously was still devoid of security personnel.

"There was an attack and escape. They've never had one before so it was high profile." Uhura eyed the doctor, hoping to communicate that she wanted her friend to get taken care of.

"Was the ship womulan?" Jim ran her tongue around her mouth, feeling strange.

Uhura shook her head, frowning and trying to understand. "Was the ship what?"

Jim turned to her boyfriend/torturer. "What's happening to my mouth?"

"You got numb tongue?" The doctor asked. "I can fix that."

Jim's eyes narrowed at her boyfriend/saboteur and turned back to Uhura, hoping that she really was as good as she proclaimed in her skills at understanding people. She spoke slowly, trying her best to enunciate the words clearly. "Was. The. Ship. Womulan?"

This time the communication specialist looked at her lips, trying to understand. "Romulan?"

She nodded urgently. "Yes!"

"_Yes!_" Uhura answered.

Another stab to the neck from her, now known as just plain torturer killed Jim's elation. "_Ow! Knock it off!_"


	6. Chapter 6

Hi, just a note from your author.

Now, I understand constructive criticism with the best of them but I also believe in having respect. I can't even tell you just how disheartening it is to continue to receive reviews complaining that McCoy wasn't the one who came up with the idea to sneak Jim aboard.

let me give my reasons why.

1\. Pike had loved Jim like a daughter in the "Don't I know you?" 'Verse so he's just as attached to her and, sometimes, a father's love is just as powerful.

2\. The difference in the movie was that Jim had been grounded, as in NO assignment. It's a big difference leaving your friend to be all alone on Earth when you were going to an exciting mission.

3\. Another difference from the move, Pike WANTED Jim on the Enterprise despite the fact that she already had a child.

4\. Jim and Bones - Neither of them wanted the Enterprise because...it's NOT a generational ship.

5\. Also, Bones probably believed that his PREGNANT girlfriend would be safer on a ship that dealt with that stuff all the time.

6\. Also, maybe Pike loved McCoy, too. He may have wanted to absorb some of the responsibility associated.

7\. Unlike in the movie, Jim NAILED the debate and Pike was pissed that Admiral Marcus took her away from his ship despite her victory.

8\. And last but not least, it's my damn story. Nothing is more rude to and disheartening to a writer than to have constant negative reviews. If you want a carbon copy of the movie, watch the movie.

And since I'm so mad:

Oh, spoiler alert, Jim was gonna lose the baby and Spock was gonna be all "I grieve with thee" and Jim was gonna apologize for what she said and that she knew he loved his mother and then Spock was gonna say "but I never told her" and then she was gonna say "a mother always knows".

Yeah. I'm done. At least on Archive of Our Own, there's more reviewers and far few negative people. I wanted my version to be different. The movie has been re-hashed so many times on this site that I wanted it to be different. I won't be updating any longer.

Thanks.


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